Type-writing machine.



C. B CORCORAN.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT.-22. I9l2.

lutmltedJune 29, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET ENTOR: MW

Y ATTQRNEY wn'mssas:

C. B. CORCORAN.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 22. I912.

Patented June 29; 1915.

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ATTORNE CORNELIUS B. CORCORAN, OF NEW YORK, NQY ASSIGIFI'OR TO UNDERWOOD TYPE- WRITER COMPALTY, OF NEW YORK, Y A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

arsn-wnmme zaa i Bpecifioation of Letters Eatent.

Patented June 29, 19315.

' To all whom itmay concern:

trolling to begin the line of writing.

Be it known that I, Commune B. Conco- RAN, a citizen of the United States, residing in New York, in the county of New 'York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements'in Type- Writi lS/Iachines, of which the following is a s. ci cation. I I

his invention relates to the paper-condevices and letter-space scales of typewrlting machines, and one principal object is to provide means for facilitating the insertion and gaging of work-sheets.

When introducing work-sheets rearwardly with lower edge foremost at the front side of the platen of a front-strike writing machine, some difficulty has ncountered because of the usual arran ement of the ribbon-vibrator in front of tie platen and almost in contact therewith. ity of the work-sheet fouling upon the ribbon vibrator, and to some extent the same is true'of the usual center guide for the typebars, which is arranged just below the printing point. As a'means for overcoming this dilliculty, I have arranged a paper-guiding chule or apron at the front oi. the platen,

placed to one side of the machine so far as to be entirely to one side of "both the ty e guide and the ribbon vibrator: so that, y

' running the carnage over say to the extreme limit of its leftwardtravel, the work-sheet may be conveniently introduced between the --'guiding-cliute and the platen, and run back wardly around the under side of the platen, and then gripped by the feed rolls, whereupon the carriage may be returned to the right,

liability of fouling'of the work-sheet upon the ribbon guide or they tvpe guide is avoided. For thepurpose of. the invention, there may be used a carriage of super-width-in. proportion to the width of the work-sheet;

or, in other words, a machine havin an extra wide carriage maybe employed or writ ing upon a sheet of ordinary size. is will permit the carriage to be set far enough to the left to permit the introduction in this way, of a sheet'of common size. The devices under theplaten for guiding the work-sheet need to be only as wide as the sheet; and said chute may be of a length substantially equal to the length of the ordinary printing field on the platen. A wide-carriage machine may be readily employed for intro- There is liabil- In this way all platen, but being releasable, so that they may be dropped to a position to cooperate with said chute. Said chute or guiding apron may be employed as a line gage for the sheet on the platen, and to this end may be hinged upon the framework of the machine, so as to swing up from its normal position to a position whereit coincides to the printing line of the platen, thus facilitating the adjustment of the work-sheet on the carriage. This gage may also be provided with a numbered letter scale, which, when the carriage is at the extreme end of its run, will indicate correctly the position of the written letters on the work-sheet, and will hence at this time serve as an ordinary platen scale. It will also be understood that the ordinary scale and index may be retained for indicating the position of the carriage, and that this supplemental scale may be employed for the purpose of a scale, even if-it is not employed as a paper-guiding chute.

In the "Underwood front-strike typewriting machine to which the invention is herein illustrated as applied, the usual rolls may run upon the under surface of the platen, and these rolls may be released in the usual manner from the platen. Atthe same time that the rolls are released, the guiding plateor apron which curves around the under side of the platen is dropped down therefronuso that the front edge of said plate is brought into register with the slopin deflector-plate or chute, which is arrange upon the machine frame, and preferably displaced enest the platen has a scale thereon correspona-.

on its pivot toward the platen, its edge will serve as a guide for positioning the worksheet, and at the same time the edge of this plate will indicate the bottom of the line of writing. The scale divisions on said plate may be numbered so as to indicate what letter-spaceson the platencorrespond to any given letter-space on the ordinary scale of the typewriter.

Other features and advantages will'here inafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective plan of an Underwood widecarrlage front-strike writing machine provided with the present improvements and showing the parts ready for the insertion of sheets at the front of the platen. Fig. 2 is a. sectional side elevation showing the parts in their normal position when writing is being done. Fig. 3 is a view of the scale plate and margin stop of the wide-carriage machine. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, except that the bottom pressure rolls are released together with the paper-guiding apron for the insertion of work-sheets at so the front of the platen. Fig. 5 is a sectional side view similar to Fig. 4, but showing the, swinging scale plate raised to indicate the line of writing. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the parts seen in Fig. 5 taken from the upper right-hand corner of said Fig. 5.

7 is a front view showing the line of writing as indicated by the present invention on the typewriter platen.

The cylindricalplaten 1,. which is shown of extra length, although shorter platens may be used, is journaled byan axle 2 in the ends 3, 4 of a platen frame, wh ch comprises a rear paper shelf 'fi'connecting said ends. and also comprises a tie-rod 6 extend 5 ing between said ends. The platen frame is mounted by suitable means, not shown, upon a carriage 7 which runs upon the usual forward and rear tracks 8, 9. I

The system of pressure rolls running upon the under side of the platen to carry the work sheet around the same may be of the usual construction, comprising rear rolls 10 mounted on shaft 11, and front rolls 12 mounted on shaft 13 ,shaft 11 being carried on arms 14. and shaft 13 being carried on pressed against theplaten.

arms 15: all ofsaid arms journaled on tierod 6. Upon said rod 6 are also mounted leaf springs 16, 17, 'to engage respectively the arms 11, 15, whereby the rolls 10, 12 are The pressure rolls may be released in the usual manner by means of a key 18 pivoted at 19 on the platen frame and connected by a link 20 to an arm 21 on rock shaft 22 which is jourto naled on the platen frame and extends along mally occupying recesses 24. When i said rock .shaft 22 is rotated, the arms 23 are" forced apart, as at Fig. 4, thus pulling down the arms 14, 15, together with the rolls 10, 12, and leavin a clearance between said rolls and the p aten 1 for the introduction and adjustment of the work-sheets. Owing to the cylindrical sha of the shaft 22, the arms 23 are mechamcallylocked apart in their released positions at Fig. 4.

When the parts are in the position seen in Fig. 4, a work-sheet 25f ma be inserted from the front of the'machine y passing it over the plate 26, which is mounted on the front of the machine and forms-a chute for said worksheet. From said chute the work-sheet passes over the front fingers 27 of an apron 28, which is arranged to move with the pres:

sure rolls 10 and 12 to and from the platen. This afiron extends rearwardly so as to over lap to some extent the paper-table 5 and guides the rearwardly moving sheet on to said paper-table. Said work-sheet may be clamped to move with the revolving platen,

as seen in Fig. 2, by swinging the handle 18' upwardly so as to cause the rolls 10 and 12 apron 28 is causedto move up with-the rolls by means of an auxiliary roll 29 on the shaft- 13 overlapping 'said apron. The apron 28 is moved downward with the rolls by means of alhook'ed arm 28 formed as an extension of said apron and catching under arm 15 carrying roll 12.. Before so clamping the work-sheet, against the platen, the worksheet may be adjusted in position so as to properly center it in the writing line by swinging the plate 26 upwardly by means of 30, sothat the edge of said plate, as seen in Fig. 5, is adjacent. the platen. This edge is so set that it indicates or gages the bottom of a lineof writing, as said writing appears when on the worksheet; and after the worksheet has been manually adjusted tothe desired point, it may be clamped'in position as aforesaid by raising the. handle 18.

The plate 26 also carries a scale of letterspaces along its edge, which spaces are numbered from left to right, as seen in Fig. 6, and the zero point of said scale is so set that vwhen thetypewriter carriage, as seen" in said figure, is at the extreme left-hand of-its to bear against the platen, and the paper its handle 30, till its handle hits a fixed lug platen 1 in the ordinary manner by means of type 31 pivotally mounted in a segment 32 .means of keys, not shown, and in so'moving,

operate the usual "escapcment devices for feeding the carriage to the left in the usual manner. The positionof the printing point on said carriage 7 is indicated by a pointer 33 fast on said carriage, cotiperating with a scale plate'34 fast on the front of the machine.

The swinging scale plate 26 is pivotally mounted by means of ins 35 on a 'bar 36 extending leftwardly om a cross bar '37 forming part of the usual frame of the typewriting machine. Said bar,36 embraces a lug 38 on said bar 37 by means of screws 39 threaded through arms 40 of said .bar 36,

and may be raised on the bar 37 by means of a screw 41 bearing against said bar 37. It is tightened down against said bar by means of a screw 12 threaded into the top of said lug.38. The bar 36, which carries the scale plate 26, is steadied at its outer I end by. means of a bracket 43 on the bar 36 intermediate its ends and extendin toward a plate 44 fast in the frameof t e machine, the bracket 43 being adjustably fastenedto said plate 44by means of screws 45 extending through slots 16 in said plate. The fixed lug 30 forms an extension of said bar 36.

The pins 35 carrying the plate 26 are not fastened directly to said bar 36, but are carried by lugs 47 forming extensions of a plate 48 fast on the bar 36 and secured thereto by screws 49. Said'bar. 36 also carries an L harm on outwardly extending.

arms 51 of said bar. The plate 26 is 'normally drawn downwardso as to lie against said arms 51 by means of a spring 52, so-

that the surface of the plate 26 forms a continuation of the upper arm of said. L bar 50.

To illustrate the use of scale 26 as a correct platen scale when the carriage is in its extreme left-handposition, there is shown (at Fig. 3) a right-hand margin size 53 comprising a pointer 55 and a hen e 54 for shifting the stop, and said stop is, for the purposes. of illustration in the pmsent invention, located at the tenth division on the scale 34. The exact location of said tenth space is shown on the work-sheet by the corresponding scale division on the scale plate 26 when the' work-sheet isbeing' inserted. In this way, the writin may be accurately registered with any r ngs that ma exist on the work-sheet.

ariations may be resorted towithin the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements maybe used without others. lllaving thus described my invention, I Hull.

1. In a front-strike typewriting machine,

*means' for moving thereon, of'a rotatable platen on said car riage, a paper apron thereunder, means for moving said apron away from said platen, and av swinging guide inclined downward from its pivot in position to guide a worksheet onto said, apron when away from said platen, and movable about its pivot to bring its free edge to the platen at the printing line. V

In a front-strike typewriting machine, the combination with a frame and a carriage thereon, of a rotatable platen on said carriage, a paper apron thereimder, means for moving said apron away from said platen, a

pivot in position to guide a work-sheet onto said apron, and a-hundle for swinging said guide'to bring its free edge into position to indicate the printing'line.

3. In a front-strike typewriting machine, the combination with a frame and a carriage thereon, of a rotatable platen on said carriage, a paper apron thereunder, means for moving said apronaway from said platen, a pivoted guide dependingfrom its pivot to guide a work-sheet onto said apron, ahan-' die for swinging said guide to bring its lower edge up to the printing line on the platen, and an indicator on said guide to show the position of a letter space on the work-sheet.

4. In a front-strike typewriting machine, the combination with a right-hand margin stop. of a scaleon the frame of the machine at the left forindicating the position on. the work-sheet of said margin stop, said scale forming a movable lide normally spaced from the platen or introducing work-sheets at the front of the platen, and

movable toward the platen into position to indicate on the work-sheet the printing line. and means for holding the said guide spaced from the platen while a work-sheet is being written upon.

5. In a front-strike typewriting machine, the combination with a carriage and a rotatable platen, .of a swinging plate adjacent said platen at one end of its travel and forming with the platen an inclined guideway forvthe introduction of work-pieces to the platen, said plate movable to bring its I tabl'e platen, of a'swin ing plate adjacent said platen at one end 0 its travel, an apron for guiding paper around said platen, and I said apron away from said platen so that it will aline with said plate, said plate beingmovable from a position in which its free edge alines with said an intake chute. for a work-sheet.

v8., In a front-strike typewriting machine,

the combination with a carriage and type printing thereon, of a scale plate on the frame atone side of said printing pointfor indicating a letter-space on said carria e,

andnormallyin position to form an inta e chute-for a work-sheet, and a scale indicatingthelposition of said carriage.

9. In a typewriting machine, the combination with an apron extending 'under the platen and fingers extending forward from said apron, of a chute extending toward said- .fingers, a swinging plate forming part of said chute, a scale on said swinging plate, and means to swing said plate upward to a substantially horizontal position with its edge at the lower edge of the-printing line. 10. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a carriage, of a scale arranged to'be swung adjacent thereto, an arm on which said scale is pivoted, screws for adjusting said arm vertically, and screws for. adjusting said arm horizontally. 1-1. In a typewriting machine, the combi- 85 ination with a carriage, of a scale arranged to be swung adjacent thereto, an arm on which said scale is pivoted, screws for adjusting said arm. vertically, screws for adjusting said ,arm horizontally; and an ad-- 40 justable rest supporting the outer end of said arm.

12. In'a typewriting machine, the combination with a paper apron, of a handle movable downwardly for depressing it, a scale forming with the depressed apron a chute for a work-sheet, and a handle movable downwardly for raising said scale to the printing line.

. 13. In a front-strike typewriting machine, 7

the combination with a. scale on. the frame of the machine, of a pointer indicating on said frame the limit of travel of the carriage, a scale on the frame for indicating letter spaces on said carriage, a handle for 5 swinging said second scale ad acent to the carriage, and a spring holdingit normally away from said carriage in position to form.

a uidecfor inserting a work-sheet at the frontof the platen.

80 14. In a front-strike typewriting machine,

the combination with a'scale on the frame gage for the work-sheet.

movingsaid apron away. from said platen,

a plate arranged to form a chute leading to saidapron when away from said platen and movable to a horizontal position with its edge at the printing line on the platen,'70 and a scale on said plate.

15. The combination with a revoluble platen, a carriage therefor, and a releasable paper guide extending around the under side of the platen to the front portion thereof, of a chute mounted upon the machine frame in front of the carriage in position to cotipcrate with said paper guide only when thelatteris released, said chute mounted for movement to the platen to serve as a line 16. In a front-strike typewriting machine having a framework, the combination of a revoluble platen, a carriage for said platen, paper-guiding means extending around the under side of the platen to the front thereof, and a chute mounted upon the framework of the machine, the length of said chute being a greater portion of the length of the printing field on the platen, and displaced to one side of the printing point in position to be of useonly when the carriage is at one extreme portion of its travel, said chute being mounted for moving to the platen to serve as aline-gagetherefor. v

17. In a front-strike typewriting machine having a framework, the combination of a revoluble' platen, a carriage for said platen, paper-guiding means extending around the under side of the platen to the front thereof, I

and a chute mounted upon the framework of the machine, the length of said chute being a greater portion of the length of the printing field on the platen, and displaced to one side of the printing point in position to be of use only when the carriage is at one extreme portion of its travel, said chute being mounted for moving to the platen to serve as a line-gage therefor, and having a .scale to serve correctly as a. platen scale only when the carriage is at the extreme end of its run.

18. In afront-striketypewriting machine, the combination with the framework of the machine, of a carriage thereon, arevoluble platen on said carriage, a paper-guiding device under the platen and movable downwardly away from the platen to release the work-sheet, and a. paper-chute mounted upon the framework at the front of the platen, V the length of the chute being a 'greater portion of the length of the printing field on the platen, and displaced'entirely' to one-side of the: printing point, and capable of cooperation with said paper apron when the latter. is released and when the carriage is at one extreme of its travel.

19. In a front-strlketypewriting machine, the combustion with the framework of the machine, of. a carriage thereon, arevoluble platen on said carriage, a paper-guiding device under the platen and movable downwardly away from the platen to release the work-sheet, and a paper-chute mounted upon the framework at, the front of the platen, the length of 'thechute being a greater portion of the length of the printing field on the platen, and displaced entirely to one side of the printing point and capable of cooperation with said paper apron when the latter is released and when the carriage is at one extreme of its travel, said guide mounted to swingto the platen to serve as a line-gage. v

20. In a front-strike typewriting machine, the combination with the framework of the machine, of a carriage thereon, a revoluble platen on said carriage, a paper-guiding device under the platen and movable downwardly away from the platen to release the work-sheet, and a paper-chute mounted upon the framework at the front of the platen, the length of the chute being a greater portion of the length of the printing field on the platen, and displaced entirely to one side of the printing point, and capable of cooperation with said paper apron when the latter is released and when the carriage is at one extreme of its-travel, said guide mounted to swing to the platen to serve as a line-gage and provided with a scale which cooperates correctly with the platen only when the carriage is at the extreme end of its run. v

21. In a front-strike typewriting machine,

the combination with a revoluble platen and I a carriage therefor, of a plate mounted upon the frame of the machine and having a letter-supportingscale thereon, and normally in a position removed from the platen so that the scale is not usable, a support for said plate, and means for swinging said plate to the platen to serveas a line-gage and letter-space scale when the'carriage is at a certain point in its travel.

22. In a front-strike typewriting machine, the combination with a revoluble platen and a carriage therefor, of a plate mounted upon the frame ofthe machine andhaving a letter-supporting scale thereon, and normally in a position removed from the platen so that the scale is not usable, a support for said plate, and -means for swinging said plate to the platen to serve' as a line-gage and letter-space scale when the carriage is at a certain point in its travel, said plate mounted to swing to and from the platen, anda stop being provided to limit the movement of the plate-to the platen.

23. In a front-strike typewriting machine, the combination with a revoluble platen and a carriage therefor, of a plate mounted upon the frame of the machine and having a letter-supporting scale thereon, and normally in a position removed from the platen so that the scale 1s not usable, a support for said plate, and means for swinging said plate to the platen to serve as a line-gage and letter-space scale when the carriage is at a certain point in its travel, said plate mounted to swing to and from the platen,

and a stop being provided tolimitthe movement of the plate to the platen, said plate when in normal position serving as a guiding apron or chute for introducing sheets backwardly at the front side of the platen,

24. In a front-strike typewriting machine,- the combination ofa scale platefixed on the front of the machine, and-a carriage pointer cooperating with the same tmindicate the position of the carriage, a. second plate also mounted upon the framework of the machine and having a scale, the length of said scale being a'greater portion of the length of the printing field on the platen,

and displaced'entirely to one side ofthe printing center, and in position to correctly cooperate with the platen scale when the carriage is ato'ne extreme of its run.

25. In a typewriting machine, the-combination of a carriage, a platen on said carriage, a scale'and index to show the position of the carriage, and a scale equal in extent to a major portion of the printing field on the platen, and mounted on the framework of the machine, and displaced entirely to one side of the printing point and mounted to cooperate with the platen correctly only when the carriage is at one eitreme of its run.

26. In a front-strikev typewriting machine, the combination with a machine frame, a carriage, and a platen thereon, of aplate hinged to the machine frame in front,

the front of the platen, said plate mounted to swing upwardly to a' substantially horizontal posltion, and means for arresting said plate with its edge at the printing line on the platen, so that said plate may serve as a line-gage. for the work-sheet.

28. In a front-strike typewriting machine,' the combination with a carriage and -a rotatable platen, of a normally inclined swinging plate adjacent said platen at one end of its travel and forming a guide for the introduction of work-pieces to the platen, a stationary support on which said plate letter-spaces, said plate movable to bring its free edge against the platen along the printing line while the platen isin normal position.

29. In a front strike typewriting ma- I chine, thecombination with a carriage and a rotatable platen of a normally inclined swinging plate ad acent said platen at one end of its travel and forming a guide for work-sheets being placed on the platen, a stationary support for said late, and a handle for said platearrange' to swing said plate and bring its free edge in opposition to the platen to indicate the position of a writin line. 1

30. n a front-strike typewriting machine, .the-combination with a carriage and a rotatable, laten, of a swinging plate adjacentthe p aten when the platen 15 at one end of its travel, said plate being normally out of contact with the platen surface to permit the introductory passage of worksheets, a stationary support for said plate,

and a handle therefor arranged to swing said plate and bring its free edge toward the laten'toindicate theposition of the writing ne on the platen.

31'.-In a front-strike typewritingf mm chine, the combination witha carriage and a rotatable platen, of a swinging plate adjacent. the platen when said platen is at CORNELIUS B. COROORAN. Witnesses: Y

' Josnrn A. Bnornr,

B. GOLDBERG. 

